The Nine
The Nine are a group of families who rule The City of Bridges by decree of the King in his absense. They were chosen at the time of the edict due to their prosperity and loyalty to the crown but in time this loyalty has waned and now The Nine are known to have a more combative relationship with the King, framed as placing their loyalty first with the citizens. All governance of the city is done in council in the Caste of Bridges, in the Castle Ward. The Altulus The Altulus family own a number of vineyards along the Ventestrum coast and beyond and specialise in winemaking. Their prowess in their craft has lead their wines to be consumed in most of the countries beyond Ventestrum as well. They were chosen for their position for their years of service as winemakers to the King and belief that their foreign business connections could lead to prosperity for the city in the future. They watch over the Harbour Ward and live aboard a grand ship docked in the harbour named The Lute of the Vine. Their lifestyle is supplemented by taxing imports into the City. Their patriarch is Demuz Altulus. The Aurectus The Aurectus family are a world-renowned collection of shipwrights who built the Ventestrum fleet themselves. For this service they were given a position on The Nine. They were given the Dock Ward. Their manor sits at the very western end of the Dock Ward. Their matriarch is Kora Aurectus. The Domater The Domater family are famed as the inventor of the common healing potion, a feat that was sought for many years by as many alchemists. Their relative cheapness and ease of use has lead to healing potions being a popular commoditity in The City and this has lead to the Domater family being one of the riches families in all of Ventestrum. They are one of the few families that were not noble before their ascention to The Nine. They rule over the Trade Ward and their manor, Redfountains, sits right in the middle of The City's busiest market. Their patriarch is Ruvus Domater. The Dracorem The family of the former Kings most loyal and dangerous knight, the Dracorem gain all their power and influence from their connection to a warrior of legend. Children of the Dracorem family are expected to become the foremost duelists and soldiers in the kingdom and send years training in these noble arts to earn their inheritances as a part of the family. Their current patriarch is Miles Dracorem who is the son of Malz Dracorem, the former King's righthand man and bodyguard. He himself is a feared archer and often travels to compete in competitions. The family was given the Castle Ward and keep the ward from their self-styled castle, Dracorem Keep, that sits in the shadow of the former Castle of Bridges. The Isbrete The Isbrete family are the genesis of The City's banking system and the keepers of its currency. They were given the North Ward to watch over upon their ascention. Whilst they once dealt with moneylending to businesses and individuals, they have now turned their attention to lending money to larger entities such as towns and nobles in Ventestrum and further afield. They live in Isbrete Hall in the North Ward and are lead by their patriarch Amin Isbrete. The Lapiden The Lapiden family were once the spiritual font of The City but with the fall of the pantheon and the loss of their god they have turned to focus on the betterment of the city. They were given the Grave Ward to maintain. Their matriarch Luann Lapiden is heading up the effort to place a new god of light in the heavens. They home in Beacon Tower on the edge of the Grave Ward. The Plimmus Hornstread Plimmus was a great and powerful smith, who forged many of the now legendary weapons in the Royal Armory. His progeny have continued his work and now as one of The Nine rule over the Sea Ward. Their manor is named Quietforge and rests on the cliffs over looking the western coast of the island. Their matriarch is Frax Plimmus, who has an equally impressive collection of weapons to her name. The Sagurstell The Sagurstell family are lead by chosen ascended, Quast Sagurstell, an elven explorer who has been far out into the world and brought back many amazing things and knowledge. So much was Quast respected and loved by the nobility that she was given a position on The Nine as the only non-native member of the council. In leiu of a ward to rule Quast was given the Bridge Mountain as a home and command of the City Guard. Their home rests atop Bridge Mountain and is known affectionately as the Star Ward. The Ventunda The Ventunda made a name for themselves in the criminal underground of Ventestrum before the fall and became engraciated with the nobility and the royalty for their ability to smuggle rare and foreign luxuries into The City during the trying times. Claiming their debt from these influencial people the Ventunda wormed their way into The Nine and received the smallest ward in the city as their prize, the Wall Ward. They have made a home for themselves at the very southern point of the city, over the southern gate, named Canthistle. Their patriarch is Iktus Ventunda. Lesser Nobility in The City There are a large amount of noble families in The City and beyond. Here are a few worthy of your attention. The Aina A family of air genasi who run the ceramics game in the city. The Dunben The Khalaster Prominant moneylenders, they use their wealth to help out the poor and struggling in The City. They reside in Khalaster Villa in the Sea Ward. The Krusk The Mothos The Netherbore A family of dwarves who run the free-market bounty system of The City. The Persival The Ruztaed The Ruztaed are a shadow of their former selves and they have only recently returned to The City. They were banished from Ventestrum a few generations ago after it was discovered they had been secrely partaking in the slave trade. They have returned to The City with renewed wealth after they began trading in Ontori ornimental weaponry which became a fad in the city for a while. The Starfletcher The Starfletcher family are a human family astronomers and arcanoscientists who engineer unique items for daily use. The Talbot The Vulnox The descendants of the famed Black Fox, a warrior that fought in the fall. They reside in the Manor of Masks in the North Ward. The Wiseacre The Wiseacre family of gnomes hold the command of all of the city's green spaces.